Whiffletree-clip.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLAUDE FENTON, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

-WHIFFLETREVE-CLIPV.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patnt No. ?13,081, dated November 1 1, 1902. Application filed October 5, 1901 Serial No. 77,649. (No model.)

To all whom it mcyponccrn: i

Be it known that I, OLAUDE FENTON, aciti-j zen-of the United States, residingatzMuske gon, in the county ofMuskegon and State of lvlichigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Whiffletree-Clips, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part: of this specification. s

My invention relates to improvements in' devices for fastening tugs or traces to whiffletrees and commonly known as whiffletreeclips. ..In the usual device of this kind the clip carries a part adapted to be inserted through apertures formed in the tug, and in some forms the part so inserted through the tug or trace is provided with an eye through which a leatherstrap is adapted to be drawn to prevent the tug or trace from'slipping off the clip.L These' clips are objectionable in many respects. In the first place,'the tugs or traces themselves are required to be stiffened' to preventthem from easily slipping off the* clips, and they must be strengthened toward the end to conpensate for the cutting away of the leather by the apertures and to provide a better wearing-surface, which is accomplished by doubling and stitching them for half their length, thus adding to their cost, besides rendering such portions of the harness heavy and unwieldy. Again, the; wear comes'upon both tug and whiffietrea` with the result that the tug is often torn out' and the clip or whiffletree end is worn offfi Such devices are also bothersome to unfasten, and in wet weather the key-strap is liable to become damp and to swell and in cold weather to freeze in place, so that it is practically impossible to withdraw the same.

My invention has for its objects the provi sion of a clip which shall avoid the abovementioned' objections and which, in addition to the nahyotheradvantages, shall permit the fastening of the tug or trace at any point and which is readily unfastened or released from the tug or trace at all times and in all kinds of weathen i ;Further objects are the provision of a fastening means that will not open when the tug is slack and that is simple in construction and operation', efficient and durable in use, and ineXpensive to manufacture.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a perspective View of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side View of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the eccentric. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form, and Figs. 6 and ,7 are views illustrating different stages of manufacture. u

In the form ot' the invention shown in Fig.

l, 2 designates a sleeve or ferr-ule of oval form into which the end of the whiffletree is adapted V tobe inserted and secured in any desired way, the whiffietree being usually; of Wood.

Upon the end of the -ferrule or sleeve 2 is formed,preferably integrally therewith,a rectangular yoke 3, between the horizontal members 3 3 of which the tug or trace securing eccentric& is mounted to rotate upon a pin or journal l While this eccentric or cam 4: can be constructed in any desired waysuch as cylindrical in form, but with the pivot off center, or can be made solid--I prefer to const ruct the sameas shown in Fg. 4. Here the interior of the eccentric is hollow, which gives lightness to it, while sufficient strength remains to enable it to successflly perform -its functions. The ends are curved, as shown,

which, together with thehollow interior, permits the location therein of a coil-spring 5, surrounding the pin e?, the lower end 5 of said spring being secured in a suitable aperture in the lower' side 3? of the 'yoke 3, and the upper end of said spring engages the upper end portion of the eccentric 4. The result of this arrangement is that when the spring is properly applied the eccentric is normally pressed toward the inner end of the yoke, the cut-away portion 4 in the lower end of the eccentric p'ermitting the same to reversely rotate before striking' the end of the spring 5 to give the greatest clearance' between the eccentric 4: and the inner vertical part of the yoke.

As shown in Fig. 1, the eccentricis solocated that a tug t may be inserted between it and the vertical inner end of the yoke'; but when the eccentric is turned to engage the tug it is impossible to draw the tug out, the draft on the tug being assumed to be in the direction of the arrow. To facilitate the secure holding of the tug, the outside of the eccentric is corrugated or roughened. In this figure the spring is not used, and I do not deem it necessary that a spring be employed, as the elasticity of the leather which isth us under compression is sufl'cient to prevent the eccentric from loosening and turning When the tug is slackened. The spring 5, however, may be added, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which continually urges the cam 4 against the correspondingtug or trace; but the crowding of the eccentric face toward the upright of the yoke is what secnres the tug in place and not the spring.

The ferrule or sleeve 2 in the above-described apparatus is of oval form; but the circnlar form 2 of Fig. 5 may be used, if desired. The eccentric to be used with the device of this figure is the same as before described and is not necessary to be shown. The ferrule and yoke may be easily cast, since it is of very simple form, and the' ecceutric may also be formed of cast metal. The device therefore is very cheap to manufacture, since the assembling is also of small moment. These parts lend themselves quite as readily to the process of stamping and forming from sheet metal, and, in fact, such process is preferred. The eccentric, as will be noticed from its shape, can be readily formed in suitable dies, the punching-die being adapted to form the hollowinterior of the same, while a suitably formed matrix die shapes and corrugates the exterior. The corrugations extend substantially at right angles to the chord of the arc-shaped portion, whereby the piece so formed is readily lifted from the die or mold. They are so formed as to indent themselves in the side of the tug to secure the same from slipping, but without cutting or injuring the tug in any manner. By sharply jerking upon the rear end of the tug it is readily released from the grip. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the other pieces can be first blanked out of sheet metal, as at 10 in Fig. 6,and then formed and bent up, as indicated in Fig. 7, by means of suitable tools to form the complete device. The meeting edges of the ferrule are then brazed or otherwise secured together, and the piece is complete. This is also seen to be a cheap and econonical method of manufacture and may be applied to either form of sleeve or ferrule shown.

Drop-forging may also be resorted to in the manufacture of the clip, as the form of the device is well adapted to any such method.

The yoke of the clip, it will be observed, comprises two horizontal side members and a narrow rigid outer member joining said side members. The eccentric cam is pivoted between two horizontal members and is adapted to press the tug or trace against the inner side of said outer member. The cam is so formed as to always press directly against said outer member, whereby the line of pressure is always central with respect to the yoke, no matter what the thickness of the tug or trace may be, whereby astronger and more stable Construction is secured. The narrow outer member 3 is preferably curved upon its outer edge or face, as shown, so that when the tugor traceis secured in the clip there are no projecting parts extending beyond and outside of the same. This has the advantage of preventing extraneous objects from catching upon the clip, as well as presenting a neat and well-appearing fastening device.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have produced a clip which consists of few and simple parts, that is cheaply manufactured, convenient to operate, and one that is efiicient and durable under conditions of actual use. It is ready for use on old whiffletrees that have been cut ofi by the ordinary tug, as they would still belong enough. Moreover, the cost of repairing the tugs as a result of being torn out by the old form of clip is saved. Any width tug may be used.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to details of construction, I would have it understood that it is not to be limited thereto, as I hold it to include all such modifications, alterations, and substitutions as fair] y fall within its scope and principle.

What I therefore claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a whifietree-clip,the combination with an inclosed yoke comprising two horizontal side members and a rigid narrow outer bar joining said members, a hollow shank secured to the inner end of the yoke opposite said outer bar and adapted to receive the end of a whiffletree, an eccentric cam pivoted between said horizontal members and havinga roughened outer cam-face, said cam being adapted to pressaharness tug or trace against the outer bar to thereby grip and clamp the same in place against said outer rigid bar, said bar being arranged to press flatly against the side of the tug or trace and itself forming the outer limits of the clip, whereby no objectionable parts of the clip protrude beyond the tug or trace, said cam being centrally located on'said yoke whereby the cam is selfadjusting for a tug or trace of any thickness within the limits of the clip and the line of pressure is always central regardless of the thickness of the tug or trace, substantially as described.

2. In a whiffletree-clip,the combination with an inclosed yoke comprising two horizontal side members and a rigid outer bar joining said members, said bar itself forming the outer limits of the clip and having an oval or curved outer face and a flat inner face, a hollow shank secured to the inner .end of the yoke opposite said outer bar and adapted to receive the end of a whifiletree, a hollow eccentric cam pivoted between said horizontal said yoke whereby the camis self-adjnsting 1 for a tug or trace of any thickness within the limits of the clip and the line of 'pressure is always central with the tug or trace of any thickness, substantially as described.

In witness wheref I have hereunto' subscribed my name in the presence of two wit* nesses.

CLAUDE FENTON.

Witnesses:

FRANK FENTON, JANE G. WATSQN. 

